By Abdulfatah Babatunde
Lagos, Aug. 14, ’25 (TNZ) A technocrat, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi, has advocated for collaboration among governments, universities, and industry to develop strategies that ensure postgraduate education delivers value, relevance, and transformation.
TheNewsZenith reports that the former Head of the Federal Civil Service made the call at the 2024/25 Annual Lecture of the School of Postgraduate Studies of the University of Lagos, on Thursday in Lagos.
“Postgraduate education, when strategically designed and implemented, is a powerful tool for national transformation. It cultivates leadership, drives innovation, and enhances governance.
“As Nigeria and other developing nations confront complex 21st-century challenges, there is an urgent need to reposition postgraduate education as a key driver of national development,” TheNewsZenith quotes Afolabi as saying.
He listed the challenges to include climate change, youth unemployment, technological disruptions, artificial intelligence and the internet of things.
The retired number one civil servant ascerted that education was not meant to benefit individuals alone.
Rather, the essence of education is the benefits it brings to improve the lives of mankind and their environment.
“This profound statement underscores the transformative power of education, particularly postgraduate studies.
“It transcends mere academic achievement, becoming a catalyst for national development and individual fulfilment.”
According to him, postgraduate education is meant to foster innovative solutions through cutting-edge research. And, for innovative solutions to complex national challenges.
“It should also cultivate a new generation of leaders equipped with advanced knowledge and critical thinking skills.
“We should invest in advanced education that drives socio-economic progress and global competitiveness for Nigeria,” he said.
Afolabi pointed out that national development was not an abstract concept. Rather, it should manifest in better lives for citizens, a stronger economy, and a brighter future for all.
Such national development, he noted, should revolve around infrastructural growth, enhanced public health, boosting industrial productivity and competitiveness, and quality of teaching and learning.
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He advocated for a linkage between postgraduate education and national progress.
“Direct correlation between a robust postgraduate sector and national progress is undeniable. It powers a cycle of continuous improvement,’’ TheNewsZenith quotes him as saying.
Afolabi pointed out that postgraduate researchers should bridge the gap between knowledge and practical solutions to national challenges.
This is particularly necessary in the area of agricultural innovation, health solutions, energy independence and technological advancement.
He posited that the country has abundant educational institutions, but that many of them lack a strategic blueprint for national development.
This is due to a disconnect between postgraduate research and national development goals; an outdated curriculum; poor funding; and a weak intellectual base due to brain drain.
Afolabi challenged the Nigerian academics to embrace global best practice by learning from global leaders to illuminate a path forward for Nigeria’s postgraduate education system.
He cited examples of Finland’s innovation-led research that focus on interdisciplinary research and strong links to societal needs.
South Korea, he said, has robust industry-academia collaboration between its universities and industries to drive technological advancement.
According to him, the United Kingdom has a policy of alignment of PhD funding with research incentives. This strategically aligns with the UK’s national priorities.
The former HOS went ahead to set an agenda for national development through postgraduate education with six bold strategies to implement.
These strategies are: revamping of postgraduate curriculum; boosting funding through research grants, infrastructure, and scholarships; and strengthening industry ties by turning ideas into real impact.
Other strategies, he suggested, are promotion of global collaboration through exchange programmes; governance reform by letting universities innovate freely, and creation of a national research council to set research priorities and track results. (TNZ)
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